Puerto Princesa

Puerto Princesa
City of Puerto Princesa
From top, left to right: Nagtabon Beach, Sabang Beach, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Palawan Provincial Capitol, Puerto Princesa International Airport
Nicknames: 
  • Eco-Tourism Center of the Philippines
  • The City in the Forest
  • City of the Living God
Anthem: Martsa ng Puerto Princesa (Puerto Princesa March)
Map of Palawan with Puerto Princesa highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Puerto Princesa
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 9°44′24″N 118°44′38″E / 9.74°N 118.744°E / 9.74; 118.744
CountryPhilippines
RegionMimaropa
ProvincePalawan (geographically only)
District 3rd district
FoundedMarch 4, 1872
CityhoodJanuary 1, 1970
Highly urbanized cityJuly 21, 2007
Named afterInfanta Eulalia of Spain (as Puerto de la Princesa)
Barangays66 (see Barangays)
Government
  TypeSangguniang Panlungsod
  MayorLucilo R. Bayron
  Vice MayorMaria Nancy M. Socrates
  RepresentativeVacant
  City Council
Members
  Electorate181,815 voters (2025)
Area
  Total
2,381.02 km2 (919.32 sq mi)
Elevation
98 m (322 ft)
Highest elevation
1,257 m (4,124 ft)
Lowest elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (2020 census)
  Total
307,079
  Density130/km2 (330/sq mi)
  Households
82,134
Economy
  Income class1st city income class
  Poverty incidence
4.80
% (2021)
  Revenue5,322 million (2022)
  Assets16,798 million (2022)
  Expenditure3,814 million (2022)
Service provider
  ElectricityPalawan Electric Cooperative (PALECO)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
5300, 5301 (Iwahig Penal Colony)
PSGC
IDD:area code+63(0)48
Native languagesIbatag
Palawano
Tagalog
Websitepuertoprincesa.ph

Puerto Princesa (Tagalog pronunciation: [ˌpwɛɾ.to pɾɪnˈsɛ.sɐ], American Spanish: Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpweɾto pɾinˈsesa] , European Spanish: Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpweɾto pɾinˈθesa] ), officially the City of Puerto Princesa (Cuyonon: Siyudad i'ang Puerto Princesa; Filipino: Lungsod ng Puerto Princesa), is a highly urbanized city in the Mimaropa region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 307,079.

It is a city located in the western Philippine province of Palawan and is the westernmost city in the Philippines. Though the seat of government and capital of the province, the city itself is one of 38 independent cities within the Philippines not controlled by the province in which it is geographically located and is therefore an independent area located within Palawan for its geographical and statistical purposes by the Philippine Statistics Authority. It is the largest city in the province of Palawan and the Mimaropa region.

It is the least densely populated city in the Philippines with 110 inhabitants per square kilometer (280 inhabitants/sq mi). In terms of land area, the city is the second largest geographically after Davao City with an area of 2,381.02 square kilometers (919.32 sq mi). Puerto Princesa is the location of the Philippines' Western Command headquarters.

Today, Puerto Princesa is a tourist city with many beach resorts and seafood restaurants. It has been acclaimed several times as the cleanest and greenest city in the Philippines.